Landfill trims Slate Belt support

In a region where people once made a living digging holes, it's a curious reversal: One of the Slate Belt's biggest benefactors is Grand Central Sanitary Landfill, which builds mountains out of trash in Plainfield Township.

It's been a willing patron to the area, handing out grants, balancing municipal budgets and picking up trash for free. Residents have grown accustomed to the perks it provides, small and large.

But now the golden goose is thinking twice about laying eggs.

With far less trash coming through the gates and no quick recovery in sight, landfill company Waste Management is cutting back on area grants and agreements, citing an opt-out clause for tough times. It'll mean the end of free trash pickup in Pen Argyl, a big cut to an area library's budget and ever-decreasing tonnage fees to Plainfield Township.

In Pen Argyl, the trash pickup pullout could cost residents upwards of $200 a year, borough manager Robin Zmoda said. That's on top of a proposed 0.75 mill property tax increase to make up for declining income tax revenue.

"They're giving us until March 31 to complete the process of trying to send out the bids and award a contract to a hauler," Zmoda said. "They came to us and told us, 'We are suffering right now.' Even garbage is having troubled times."

Down the street from Pen Argyl's town hall, the Blue Valley Community Library sits in an unassuming storefront. Staffed by volunteers, its $45,000 yearly budget is bolstered by fundraisers, a small book sale — and a $12,000-a-year grant from Grand Central.

The landfill has always been there for the library, board President Susan Peisher said. Waste Management would make copies of fliers, donate computers, pick up the trash for free. But that yearly grant — more than a quarter of the library's annual budget — is now on the chopping block.

"We started on a shoestring and we just plan to persevere," Peisher said. "All we can do is appeal to the community to help us out."

Whatever the library loses, it'll have to make up in fundraising, Peisher said. She doesn't see any cuts in services, but the loss will take a chunk out of her book-buying budget.

The landfill also recently stopped making yearly $25,000 payments toward the Wind Gap Fire Volunteer Fire Company's new firetruck, saying it's fulfilled the agreement by paying for half of the purchase. Fire company officials couldn't be reached for comment.

Plainfield Township, which has relied on landfill revenue to balance its budget for years, is also looking at a tax increase as funds dry up.